This invention relates to a container carrier, and more particularly to a container carrier for carrying containers by their handles.
Containers can often weigh a substantial amount, depending upon the contents, and volume, of the container. For example, a filled one gallon container of anti-freeze weighs approximately 10 pounds. When consumers purchase such containers, they generally must use a handle to carry the container. Often times, this handle is integral with the container. Alternatively, a separate container carrier is secured to the container.
Carriers which enable containers to be carried by their handles are well known. However, conventional carriers suffer from a number of deficiencies. For example, some container carriers are quite elaborate and necessarily therefore are difficult to manufacture or cumbersome to ship and store. Further, container carriers can be uncomfortable to use because the handle of the container carrier bites into the fingers of the user when the user lifts and transports the containers with the container carrier.
Containers having molded handles that are integral with the container, such as one gallon-sized oil or anti-freeze containers, milk jugs and the like, have presented particularly troublesome problems for accommodating container carriers. In particular, given the significant weights of such filled containers, the container carrier needs to be adequately secured on the containers and be of sufficient tensile strength to allow the containers to be carried comfortably, easily and securely.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a container carrier that securely attaches to the container to be transported, and that is easy and comfortable to use. The new container carrier should be durable and resistant to tearing and ripping while under the weight and stress of heavy containers. Ideally, the design of the container carrier is one that can be efficiently and inexpensively manufactured and that allows for simple, straightforward application onto containers.